Safety apparatus for elevators



Oct. 16, 1934.

R. NEuscHoTz SAFETY APPARATUS FOR ELEVATORS Filed Dec. 9, 1930 Patented Giet. 16, 1934 l Y llAS-Z icte- 1,977,452 SAFETY APPARATUS FR ELlIl/'ATORS Robert Neuschotz, New York, N.- Y. Application December 9, 1930, Serial No. 501,013 s claims. (o1. isa-cc) This invention relates to safety apparatus for elevators.

An object of this invention is to provide an elevator equipped with a safety or emergency 5 brake, having highly improved means for actuating the brake when the speed of the car becomes excessive. ha accordance with my conis provided for automatically struction, means hitching a brake actuating member carried by l' the car to a member fixed within the shaft,

whereby the `actuating member is ten'sioned as the car continues the drop for setting the brake.

A further object of this invention is to provide elevator 'apparatus of the character described `l? having means for automatically breaking the circuit for the hoisting motor simultaneously with the actuation of the safety brake.

A still lfurther object of this `invention is to provide manually controlled means for actuating my improved safety brake actuating mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact and rugged apparatus of the character described, which shall comprise comparatively few and simple parts, be easy to install, relatively 25 inexpensive to manufacture, positive in operation and withal practical and emcient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in4 part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists inthe features of construction, combinations of elements,

and-arrangement of parts which -Will be errem-v plii'led in the construction hereinafter described,

and of which the scope of application will be in- 35l dicated in the following claims. c f

In the accompanying drawing, in `which is shown one ofthe vario-us illustrative embodiments or" this invention, l

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an elevator equipped with-a safety brake and actuating mechanism embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-'sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

IFig. 3 is an enlarged, elevational, detail view `of the means for attaching the actuating member to the fixed member, showing the position of the parts with the actuating member attached to said fixed member; and

Fig 4 is a diagrammatic view'of the elevator` 50 and thesafety apparatus after actuation of the safety brake.

Referring now in detail tothe drawing,

designates a car supported by a car sling 10a and l adapted tobe lifted and lowered bymeans -of cables `11 extending over a traction sheave 12 driven from any suitable motor (not shown). The opposite end of the hoisting cable' may loev connected to a counter balance weight 13 of any suitable con-struction. The car sling 10a is guided by a pair of guide rails 15 and 16 dis- 6Gv posed within the elevator shaft and fixed to a, pair of opposite walls 17 and 18 of said shaft, re-` spectively. The guide rails 1.5 and 16 are'preferably of T-shaped cross-section and comprise heads 15d and 16a and webs 15b and 1Gb respec- 65 tively.

Attached to the underside of the car 410- is va safety brake vdevice of usual construction, here shown forthe purpose of illustration only,` in the form of a drum 19 rotatably .mounted on suitable 70 brackets 20 iixed to theunderside of the car. A pair of coaxial oppositely extendingA screw threaded members 22, 23 are provided with a screw threaded'connection to the drum 19 whereby rotation fof the drum will causethe screw threaded 75 members to move inwardly toward each other or outwardly away from each other in the manner of a turnbuckle, depending upon the direction of rotation of said drum. Said screw threaded members 22, 23 are provided with outwardly 80 tapering heads22a, 23a at the outer ends thereof for the purpose hereinafterappearing.

Extending downwardly from the underside'of the car on each ofthe opposite sides thereof, are a pair of spaced pins 2e towhich there are pivoted 8djaws 25, 26 symmetrically disposed with respect to one another and having arms 25a, 26arespectively, adapted to engage opposite sides of one of l said' tapering heads 22a or 23a of the screw threaded members 2,2,` 23. The jaws are further 9e. formed with arms 25h, 2Gb adapted to contact opposite sides of one of thewebs 15b or 1612. l

It will now be seen that as the drum is rotated in a direction for drawing, the' screw threaded members inwardly toward one another, the taper- 95 ing heads 22a, 23a will cause pivotal rotation of the jaws 25, 26Vand pressure 4ofthe arms 25?), 265 against the webs of the guide rails for lbraking 'the' downward movement of the car.

Means is provided for rotating the drum 19 and 10o actuating the safety brake mechanism. To this end there is 'fixed to the top of the car, a bracket 30 having a pair of bearing members 31,32 for rotatably mounting a pair'of sheaves 33, 34. A

safety cable V disposed longitudinally of the m5y elevator shaft, is attached at the upper end there` of to a rod 36 'extending above a cross beam 37 disposed at the upperrend Vof the elevator shaft. The rod 36 is provided with a screw threaded portion 37 carrying a nut'38. The rod 36-further-- 11o` more extends through a suitable opening in a plate 39 fixed to the beam 37 and interposed between said plate 39 and the nut 38 is a coil cornpression spring 40, a suitable washer 41 being interposed between the upper end of the spring and said nut 38. The spring 40 allows a slight downward yielding movement of the safety cable 35. The cable 35 extends around the underside of the sheave 34, then up and: over the sheave 33, and: then downwardly onthe opposite. side of the car sling 16a, the lower end portion 35h of the cable extending through a safety cable guide 42 fixed to the wall 17. A tension weight 431 ispreferably attached to the lower endV 44 of said cable. It will be seen that during thel ordinaryI travel of the car, the sheaves 33', 34- are rotated by the cable 35.

For rotating the drum 19; theret is provided a brake operating or actuating member, here shownr in the form of a cable 45, wound about the drum 1,9 and extending; upwardly'toward theupper end; of the` car. Y

Means is providedforihitchingfthebrake-actuating cable45; to the safety cable.A 3,5 automatically upon increasefof speedofthe-dropping car l,0.=be.-

yond a predetermined point. T othis` end;l thef bracket 30 isformed withY a horizontal. extension 4.6 provided. with.. a; vertical slot 4.7, and a. second. vertical slot, or opening 48s adjacent thereto.

i Bracket 3 0. is.` providedwith another` extension49-v provided with a vertical opening 50 alignedwithl said=x opening 48.. Slidably mountedl within. said aligned openings.485ll. is a vertical rod 51 hav ing;l a lug; 53 attachedtheretoV and extending, in-

r-.gwardly therefromadjacentthe rimof. the sheaver 34. Thelug52. isadapted tdcontact the upper Side of,r the. extension,49` at the., opening., 50. thereof,

to limit the-downwardmovement ofI the-rod. For..`

the purpose hereinafter to. appear, thelower. end 53.5011 the rod. 5,1 extendsbelow the extension 49; and. thel upper end 54 extends:A above the exten-Y sion..` 46. Slidably. mounted. within. the opening 47., and supported,A onV the extension: 46. of theV bracket 30 isamember iiD-having.-aver-ticalwall portionv 61-- andy a horizontal.extension` 62 atthe upper end..there.of., said. extension being formed with an opening'.. Bvotedtosaidmember 60 as' on. ashorizontal. pinA isacammed member,- 66 having a. cammedgsurfface. 67. Attached. to. a.. pinlprojectingfrom thecammernber 66..on, one side of. the pivotedipin 65 is the upper end169 of the safety. brake operating cable/15.. Pivotedtothe upper end ofrthe-cammember.66.as;at701is a rod 71. loosely: extending throughl they opening. 63: in` said.` extension., 62. Attached.; to the lower;Y end. of saidrod, is.a plate 72 and interposedbetween said plate 72and,said;extension 62 isfastrong coil corn-V pression spring".y 7A l Rrojecting. from-` said. cam member, 66.. is.v a.. pin4 or. .projection 76... adapted. tovv be disposed directly. above said rod. 51said. pro-.. jeotionbeing furthermore! substantially. aligned. with thefpivotpinf vand the pin. 68., saidpivot pinv being disposedbetweenthepin,68. andthe projec.

tion76. .It will.. bef noted. that. aline connecting Vthe vpivot pin 7(1.for the. rod. 7.1. with1the-pivot point 65 issubstantially'at right angles tot a line Y pass- Y YThe cable .35 extends .between the f vertical wall portionlv ofA the; member 60, andthe'camined rim. onfsurfaee.l 6.7 of.' the cam member;r 66;. In the positionishown. in Fig; 1t-he. low portion;A of the;

cam: is disposed adjacentfthe1cable135, and Suffie cient clearance isf-provided;V between. the` cam: membenand the backing-wall 6.1*I toipermit the?.

Ytravel of the car.

elevator to be lifted or lowered without interfering with the safety cable 35.

In Fig. 1, the rod 71 extends toward one side of the pivot point 65 and is substantially aligned with the projection 76 for maintaining the camrned member in non-gripping position. Pivoted within the sheave 34 in any suitable manner, as on diametrically disposed pins 80 and 81, are governor members 80a and 81a adapted to ily outwardlyupon rotation. of the .sheave during The governor members 80a and "81d are adapted to fly outwardly when the canv is lowered and a pair of tension springs 82, 83 suitably connected to said members retard theA outward movement thereof. Said governor .members are further provided with heads 84,

rotationof the cam. member 66.in a counterclock-- m0 wise direction, looking4 at( Eig.' 1.. This. rotation. of thev cam willfbring thehig-h sideof. the cam, intc'fcontact with. the cable.. 35 for. pressing., wedg. ing 'or clamping .the sameagainstthe verticalfwalh 61. The vpivot point'7.{Iwill1almmovepast tl'iedeadl center for bringingthelower. endoftherodonthe opposite l'side of the pivot. point', 65,. whereby.y the.- rod willsubstantially pointto'ward; theY projection 68; and the compressionA spring. 75. will; reta'iirthe.

cam injclamping. or gripping position Vand',.will.]m

alsotfendj to further rotate. the. cam,member in a counterclockwise. direction forincreasi'nethe, frictional. contact between. the. cam.- meinberjandI the safety cable. for pressing, the `same tightly against the'backingmember 6l'. Thisinovernent'fv causes hitchingjor. attachment of the u DDer end" 69'of the safety'brake operating cable 45 to the safety cable 35. The member 60'upon beinggflxedl tothe safety cable' 35" is lifted out of the opening; 47y as the car continues to descendi. Fixing` the upper end of the cable 45.to the. cable 35 will; cause the drum 1'9 to be' rotated in a direction. for drawingthe screw threaded rods 22; 23.'t oward one another; andA clamping thej jaws 25;, 26 to the guiderail's' 15, 1 6; and braking the Inoye`ll ment ofjthefcar.- A

It" will* be notedy that' as the' pull' on -t-hecable 45 increases, `during the; unwinding operation thereof', the grip ofv the cam member 66 on the" cable 35-'-increases, said cam being maintained in clamping positioniby' pressure oi-A the springt 752. When the cable 35 is gripped; the' spring 40 will' be compressed permittingy a slight yielding' movement. After the springV 40'- is compressed@- however, the cable -35-becomes fixed` andl-st-atiom ary withrespect to the dropping car; Manually controlled" means is provided forV hitching the safety operating cable 45 to l"the cable 35 in case of emergency. To this end a lever 90 is pivoted to thebracket 30 andattachedi to one end 91; of said leveris a pull chain 92 having' aV handlel 93extendingwithini the'- oar 10'; The1r opposite end 94l of said lever is disposedE ,directly-v beneath the lower end 53 of the rod' 5'1r.V fTlius; ax pull on the handle 93`willF cause -thedever to push the rod 51T upwardly for rotating the cam@ mein-- ber to the position shown in Fig. 3. l 4lVIeans-.is further.' provided for automatically breaking the circuit-for the hoisting motor 'siinulating.` cable 45 toA the. safety cable- 35i 'llo'saidif end abracket100 isiixedfto the saidA supporting beam.37 at `the upper end offthe-sha'ft;fsaid bracketcomprising a pair of upwardly' extending` members 101=and102. Pvoted to said member 101 .is anangle shaped switch member `103 'hav'- ingalinger 104 extending adjacent-'the screw other pole of the motor in any suitable manner (not shown). Pivoted toithe upper end of the member 101 of the bracket 100 is a catch nger 109 having a hook portion 110 resting on the upper end of the finger 1041i. A tension spring 11 attached at one end thereof to the bracket 100 and at the other end thereof to the angle shaped switch member 103 normally maintains the contact 105 in engagement with the contact 107 whereby the motor circuit is complete. Screwed to the upper end of the rod 37 are a vpair of lock nuts 115 between which there is interposed a plate or nger 116 disposed above the linger 104. Thus, when the upper end of the cable 45 is hitched to the cable 35, a strong downward pull is exerted on the cable 35 for compressing the spring 40 and moving the rod 37 a short distance downwardly. This movement of the rod 37 causes the linger 116` to strike the ringer 104 and rotate the switch 103 for breaking the contact between the contacts 105 and 107.

Y During this movement, the hooked head 110 of the catch 109 drops for engaging the upper end of the finger 10aa and preventing movement of the switch 103 into switch closing position.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well .adapted adapted to actuate said brake upon being pulled,

carried by said car, a sheave mounted on said car, -1 a flexible member attached within the elevator shaft, adapted to rotate said sheave during movement of said car, and means for actuating said brake comprising a member carried by said car and operatively connected to said brake and `adapted to actuate said brake upon being pulled,

and means controlled by the speed of rotation of said sheave for bitching a portion of said last named member to said lirst named member for pulling said last named member as the car descends, for actuating said brake.

`3.' In combination, an elevatorshaft, an `eleva'- tor car movable withinsaidshaft, a'car brake carried byisaidv car, aiiexible memberatta'ched to said brake and adapted to actuate. said brake upon being tensioned, a sheave rotatably mounted on said car, a second elongated;V flexible member attached at l `the 'upper end thereof withinsaid shaft, engaging 'said sheave for rotating the same as the car moves withinsaid shaft, and" clamping means 'fixed tosaid iirst flexible member'and con-v trolled by the speed of` rotation of said` sheave for clamping said'iirst flexible member 4tosaidzsecond flexible member for tensioningsaid iirst iexible member toactuate said brakevr l r 4. In' combination, ani elevator car',l a sheave carried by; said car, a-cable attached-at itsfupper' end within the elevator shaft and wound on said'l sheave for rotating the same during movement of the car, a member removably mounted on said car, having a portion disposed adjacent to and on one side or said cable, a car brake and means for actuating said brake, said means comprising a cammed member pivoted to said removable member and disposed on the other side of said cable, a member connected to and adapted to actuate said brake attached to said cammed member, and means associated with said sheave for rotating said cammed member for clamping said cable against said portion of said removable member, whereby said brake actuating member is hitched to said cable for actuating said brake as the car continues to descend.

5. In combination, an elevator car, a brake including a rotatable drum, means for actuating said brake upon rotation of said drum, a member wound about said drum adapted to rotate the same, an elognated member adjacent said oar, f

said car being adapted to move relatively to said elongated member, and means for automatically attaching said wound member to said elongated member for rotating the drum and actuating said brake, said means comprising a member removably carried by said car, means on said removable member adapted to grip said elongated member, said wound member being connected tovsaid removable member, and speed controlled means for actuating said gripping means into gripping posi# tion, said last named means comprising a sheave rotatably mounted on said car, said elongated member beingA associated with said sheave for rotating the same.

6. In combination, an elevator caryadapted to be lifted and lowered within an elevator shaft, a car brake carried by said car, including a rotatable drum, means for actuating said brake upon rotating said drum, a cable wound about said drum adapted to cause rotation thereof, a second cable attached at the upper end thereof at the upper end of the shaft and extending longitudinally of said shaft, and means forautomatically attaching said first cable to said second cable, said means comprising a sheave rotatably mounted on said car, said second cable being wound on said sheave for rotating the same as the car is lifted and lowered, a member removably mounted on said car having a wall portion disposed on one side of said second cable, a cammed member rotatably mounted on said removably mounted member disposed on the other side of said second cable, the free end of said iirst cable being attached to said cammed member and being adapted upon rotation thereof to clamp said second cable to said wall portion, a rod slidably mounted on said car adapted to rotate said cammed member, a governor mounted on said sheave, said can. saidf car: beingadaptedfv tot; move: relatively; to saifi 'e1ongated1member, means:C fonr automat'icaliy hitching: thel brake' actuating `member to?A said. elcmgated:4 member;Iv a motori switch-,a` and means associated with saideiongated member for: auto? maticallyf openinga saids switch:` upomV bitching; said brake; aei'fuating:r member, to; saidfelongated memr-1 bert.

riesigem z 82'.y Infcpmbination,` anelevator caniacar i brake mountedlthereommeans for; actuatingithe brake-'j comprising a'j member: carriedf by Y the-ca1trand adapted to';.,actuate the: said vbrake upon being;

- pulledfmeans {foif'connecting'said member' to said.'v

brake; ane elongatedrmember: attachedswithin the elevator shaft :adjacentr said can, said; cari` being: adaptedtomove relatveito saidpelongated mem1:

ber;w speed conti'olied'meansi for: automatica11y--V hit'ching the .brake-A actuating; membeit to said?v elon'gatedmember; ,azmotor 'switch and meansffor-r automatically actuatiiig; said: switch iupon` :hitching saJ-idlbrake actuating, member tovsaicixeloiir gastediimemberl. 'f f 1 c s f ROBERTNEUSCHOTZ; 

